Isn't A Burning in the Bosom Good Enough?
 What is Your Faith Built On?
We've heard it said that 'Faith is deciding to allow yourself to believe something your intellect would otherwise cause you to reject - otherwise there's no need for faith.' This premise assumes that reason and faith are bitter enemies. It assumes that no one can be 'convinced' of anything, but must simply make a choice based on faith without confirmation or even intellectual support. Of course this kind of thinking has no place in scripture, as we quickly see with even the briefest review of the Book of Acts. Here we see that Jesus Himself appeared to the apostles after the resurrection and 'showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive' (Acts 1:3). In addition, it was Paul's routine in each and every city to enter the synagogue where 'he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead' (Acts 17:2-3). As a result, 'Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas...' (Acts 17:4). Clearly, God places a high value on our ability to reason, and He is NOT offended when we stop, think and test the truth!
When talking with Mormon missionaries and friends, we often hear that they experienced a “burning in the bosom” or some other type of “spiritual” confirmation that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith is a prophet from God. This experience is highly valued by LDS church members, and serves them in some way as a proof that Mormonism is true. But is this type of emotional response or experience valued by God? Doesn't reason and investigation matter to God as we see over and over again in the Book of Acts? Scripture tells us that emotional response, when subtracted from intellectual reasoning, has little value. Let’s take a look at an important confession of faith:
 Matthew 16
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Two Different Words
Jesus uses two Greek words for “stone” in this passage. 'Petros', or 'Peter' means small stone. 'Petra' means massive stone. In other words, Jesus is saying, “Blessed are you, little stone. Upon this massive stone of your confession, I will build My church.” Hadn’t Peter and others already confessed that Jesus was the Christ?
In John 1
When Jesus told Nathanael he had seen him under the fig tree, Nathanael responded, “Truly Thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel.” Yet Jesus did not say “Blessed are you, Nathanael. Upon that rock I’ll build My Church.”
In Luke 5
After a miraculous haul of fish, Peter acknowledged Jesus’ lordship when he said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Yet at that point, Jesus did not say, “Blessed are you, Peter: Upon that rock I will build My church.”
In John 6
After five thousand were fed, Peter declared. “Truly thou art the Son of God. You alone have the words of eternal life.” Yet Jesus did not say, “Upon that rock I’ll build My church.”
Why didn't Jesus say, “Upon that rock I’ll build My church' in these situations? Because although Jesus’ disciples had acknowledged His deity previously; in every case their acknowledgements were an emotional response to a physical miracle…
“You saw me under the fig tree? You must be the Son of God!”
“Look at these fish! You must be the Son ‘of God!”
“Wow! Five thousand are fed! You must be the Son of God!”
Not Based On Emotion
Peter’s statement in Matthew 16, on the other hand, is not an emotional or uninvestigated response. Here is a carefully examined conclusion based upon his own investigation and observation of supernatural revelation. Why is this important? Because a lot of times people will make a vow, saying, “My brother was healed of cancer. I’ll start going to church.” And they do - for about five months. Or, “My husband did not get fired when everyone else did, so we’ll go to church.” And they go - for a few weeks.
But that is not the foundation upon which Jesus builds. He is looking for a man or woman who will come to a rational, intellectual conclusion based upon observations and deep, spiritual revelation. He’s listening for those who say, “I have concluded through revelation and reason that You are the Christ, not because I won the lottery, not because I feel better physically, but because You have revealed Yourself to my heart spiritually and to my mind rationally.”
It is then that Jesus says, “Blessed are you. You are not talking about an emotional response, or a five month foray into faith or Christianity. You have made a declaration, a rational investigative decision, and I will build My church upon the reality, the rock of your confession.” True conversion is not based upon some emotion or some event. It is not built upon blind faith. True conversion takes place when a man or woman says, “I have concluded that Jesus really is who He declared Himself to be. He is the Son of God. And I’m giving my life to follow Him totally.”
The Message of Christianity
That is the message of scripture. This is not the message that God has given us as Christ Followers. We are called to worship and:
Matthew 22:36
“...love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
We honor God and the Spirit of His witness in the highest manner when we love him with our minds as well as our hearts! That’s why Paul describes the Bereans as “noble” when they do more than accept the gospel he is presenting on its face value or simply respond emotionally. These folks didn’t just fast and pray about it, they:
Acts 17:11
“were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
It is a process of reading, thinking, measuring and praying. God would never want us to pray about what we haven’t first thought about. He’s calling us to compare and measure everything against the His created world and the truths found in the Bible.
Agreement with Mormonism
Interestingly, it is an idea that is supported by Mormon Scripture as well. That’s why Joseph Smith says that God tells Oliver to use his mind BEFORE praying about the truth of a prophesy. In Doctrines and Covenants 9:8, Joseph says that God commands: “But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.” Think and study, then pray. Many Mormons seem to run to the latter, without engaging the former.
The call to rational measurement and examination is also consistent with the proof text that Mormons use related to praying over the Book of Mormon:
Moroni 10:3-5
“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should (1) read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and (2) ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would (3) ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
If We Agree, Why Does It Continue?
OK, so the order seems to be clear from Mormon scripture: read, then study and ponder, then pray. As a matter of fact, it appears that to pray before studying the scriptures in as much detail as possible is something that neither Mormons nor Christians are advised to do. Look at what Paul tells us:
1 Thessalonians 5:21
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good,”
2 Timothy 2:15
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
God repeatedly tells us to study, and learn, and test, and prove because he wants us to have a noble faith that can be defended:
1 Peter 3:25
“…be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”
We worship and honor God when we study the details and are ready to make a defense of His Name.
But How Do We Measure?
Every act of measurement requires a ruler with which to compare. You’ll never know for certain how long something is until you lay down the ruler and measure it. So how do we measure the truth claims of Joseph Smith? Not by simple reading and prayer, coupled with an emotional response. We measure with the ruler of scripture:
Acts 17:11
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
So don't be afraid to use your mind when examining issues of faith. Don't be afraid to measure everything against the truth that has been revealed to us in scripture! God is calling us to do that BEFORE we engage him in prayer! | 
